The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta region ranks 11th among metropolitan areas nationwide for the number of foreign college students it welcomed between 2008 and 2012, a new report shows.

Based on records obtained from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Brookings Institution report shows the Atlanta region attracted 16,699 of the F-1 visa holders during that five-year time period.

The New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island region ranks first at 101,586.

China sent the largest share of these students to the Atlanta region at 3,702, followed by South Korea, 3,405; India, 2,706, Saudi Arabia, 491; and Taiwan, 333.

The following universities attracted most of the foreign students in the Atlanta area: Georgia Tech, and Emory, Georgia State, Kennesaw State and Southern Polytechnic State universities.

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